Why is the sky blue?
2007-02-23 09:19:59 · 21 answers · asked by pssmyth 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Adolescent
Its all about the spectrum and how colors are absorbed. Blue gets absorbed more than most colors
The blue color of the sky is due to Rayleigh scattering. As light moves through the atmosphere, most of the longer wavelengths pass straight through. Little of the red, orange and yellow light is affected by the air.
However, much of the shorter wavelength light is absorbed by the gas molecules. The absorbed blue light is then radiated in different directions. It gets scattered all around the sky. Whichever direction you look, some of this scattered blue light reaches you. Since you see the blue light from everywhere overhead, the sky looks blue.
As you look closer to the horizon, the sky appears much paler in color. To reach you, the scattered blue light must pass through more air. Some of it gets scattered away again in other directions. Less blue light reaches your eyes. The color of the sky near the horizon appears paler or white.
2007-02-23 09:24:56 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Transmitted light (from the sun, light bulbs, fire, etc) is made up of a spectrum of colors. The longest wavelengths of light are on the red end of the spectrum and the shortest wavelengths are on the blue/violet end of the spectrum.
When transmitted light such as sunlight enters our atmosphere it collides with the oxygen and nitrogen atoms. The color with the shorter wavelength is scattered more by this collision. Because violet and blue are the shortest wavelengths the sky appears to be violet / blue. But because our eyes are more sensitive to blue light than they are violet light, we perceive the sky as blue.
Our eyes contain thousand of rods and cones, which are the receptors for light. Whenever one of the 3 Stooges pokes you in the eye you see a giant blue spot. This is because the blue receptors have been activated. Blue is one of the primary colors and thus more easily activated and seen by our eyes.
Blue is also how I feel when my baby leaves and my hound dog dies. Also, how I feel when the cops pull me over and I see their blue lights flashing in my rear view mirror. Then, again, blue is the color of the K-mart special, so this color isn't all bad.
2007-02-23 18:24:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because Mars has the copyright on a red sky.
2007-02-23 18:24:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
DragonLady is right
it is because blue is absorbed more than other colors
i is not a reflection of the sea...
Have a Great Day :D
2007-02-23 19:17:40 · answer #4 · answered by dana 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hmm im not sure but by the way, for the people that said its refracting the colour of water, thats rong, its the other way around, water is blue cuz it reflects the colour of the sky
2007-02-23 17:30:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
the sky is blue because all CRIP$ go to heaven and all the BLOODZ go down below
2007-02-23 18:41:55 · answer #6 · answered by Honestly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sky is not blue it is transparent - It is the reflection off of the sea that makes it look blue!
2007-02-23 17:24:17 · answer #7 · answered by British & Proud Of It 3 · 1⤊ 4⤋
the sky is not blue, its just a governemnt conspiracy that makes you think that its blue. its really a totally gay hot pink color.
2007-02-24 16:56:55 · answer #8 · answered by Silent Jimmy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I shot my paint ball gun in the air and it turned blue.
2007-02-24 00:50:55 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because every time someone dumb asks a completely stupid question on Yahoo it gets bluer...
2007-02-24 11:53:24 · answer #10 · answered by gymnastics~is~life 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋